Device for removing snow as it falls upon and contiguous to railroad-tracks



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L. D. 01mm,

DEVICE FOR REMOVING SNOW AS ITIALLS UPON AND GONTIGUOUS T0 RAILROAD TRAGKS.

N0.261,434. Patented Ju1y18, 1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

LEE CRAIG, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING SNOW AS IT FALLS UPON AND CONTIGUOUS T0 RAILROAD-TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 261,434, dated July 18, 1882. I Application filed April8, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEE D. CRAIG, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Removing the Snow as it Falls upon and Contiguous to the Track on Railroads, of which the following is a specification. 1

My invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a series of shallow sluiceboxes between and contiguous to the rails of railroad-track's, so that streams of water may be flowing through them, so as to carry off the snow as it falls, and leave the track clear or prevent the same from banking up and blocking up the road.

The nature of my invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and the letters marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sluiceboxes arranged in connection with the railroadtrack. Fig. 2 shows the front elevation of a box'car with rolls for pressing backthe snow from the road-bed.

The following is the construction of the same: I construct the sluice boxes A watertight and flat on the bottom and as broad as may be conveniently employed between and on each side of the track. They may be made of wood, metal, or any other suitable material to secure the freest passage of water. I adjust these sluice-boxes A by means of the setscrews B, or by any other well-known equivalent device for leveling the same and regulating the flow of water. I lay these sluice-boxes A at a regular grade adapted to the grade and curve of the track, and so as to cause the water to flow evenly over the bottom of the same. I do not confine myself to this mode of placing the sluice-boxes in all instances, as under some circumstances it is necessary to elevate them to secure the required grade to secure the proper flow of. the water. Themiddle sluice-box should always be placed low enough to be out of the way of thecow-catcher.

Rolls 0, of strong durable material, may be attached to the'side of a box-oar, with bearings in a suitable jointed frame, D, to allow the same to move up and down freely and adjust themselves to the snow-bank at the sides of the car, as shown, loose bearings of sufficient depth for the lower pintles of the rolls to play freely in without being withdrawn therefrom being provided in or near the side sills of the car in any suitable manner.

The following is the operation of the same: Having arranged the sluice-boxes as shown in Fig. 1, a head of water is turned into them at the highest point to run the boxes as full as possible. The falling snow that drops into the sluicesis dissolved or incorporated with the water and discharged when obstruction.

commences by snow, and fresh water is supplied to continue free flow. To prevent the freezing of the water it is let in when it is snowing, and when too cold to snow the water is shut off. The snow, as it falls or is drifted into the water, is vdissolved and incorporated in the running stream; but when the Water becomes too cold to dissolve the snow, and becomes too thick to run freely, then the stream is turned 0E and a stream of fresh water is turned in at that point. To effect this any number of suitable gates for discharge are arranged. When the embankment comes boxes at the side of the track, such boxes are elevated to a position to receive the falling snow. Where there are snow-sheds, then the sluices may be carried past such sheds in'any suitable manner.

It will be seen that the water, when running around curves, will require to have the boxes" of the snow embankment liable to accumn-.

lateat the side of the road, and a wedge, lever, or cam may be employed to 'efiect the same end in essentially the same way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

too close to the track to admit of the sluic'e- 1. Combined with a railroadtrack, continu- 3. In combination with a car having upper ons sluice-boxes placed contiguous to such hearings in a jointed frame and loose lower 10 track, substantially as and for the purpose set bearings, the selfadjusting rolls 0, as deforth. scribed. 5 2. In combination with a railroadtrack LEE D. CRAIG. [L. s.]

and with contiguous sluice-boxes, for the pur- Witnesses: pose described, an adjusting device for grad- F. E. GAINES, ing and leveling the boxes, as set forth. J. T. POMEROY.

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